English Literature

Lamb takes us to a fairytale land in “Dream children: A Reverie”.  The essayist’s children, John and Alice had gathered around him to listen to the story of their great-grandmother Field. She was a caretaker of a huge house in Norfolk. The place was fascinating and had carvings of the story of the Children in the Wood on the chimneypiece of the great hall. One of the new owners had torn it down. At this point, Alice gave a look that reminded the essayist of Alice’s mother.
The essayist goes on like this, describing childhood memories. He tells how the great-grandmother had been a religious lady, respected by all. Her funeral was attended by all the poor and also some rich. She had been a great dancer and had to give it up due to cancer, but nothing broke her spirit. She was a brave lady and would sleep alone in the house reputed to be haunted.
He then starts describing the house with the busts of great emperors. He would explore the house taking in the tapestry and the furniture and wander into the lovely garden. His narrative shifts to Alice and John, as it does throughout the essays. He describes how John is eyeing the grapes. He then goes on with Grandma Field’s story, how she loved all her grandchildren. But she seemed to have a special place in her heart for John L., their uncle. The essayist regrets that when he had been lame, their uncle had been very considerate towards him but when later on John L. became lame, the essayist did not show similar consideration. He was dead now. He loved him and missed him. As he went talking about Uncle John, the children started crying and asked him to stop.
They asked him about their pretty mother, who was also deceased. He told them about the courting, the denials and coyness, then as he suddenly turned to look at the little Alice, her mother’s soul shone through her eyes. Slowly, everything about her started looking like her mother and he became confused as to who was really standing before him.
The children started fading away, they said that they were not his and Alice’s children. “The children of Alice called Bartrum father. We are nothing; less than nothing, and dreams. We are only what might have been, and must wait upon the tedious shores of Lethe millions of ages before we have existence, and a name”

The essayist wakes up to find that he had fallen asleep in the chair, with Bridget by his side. Everything had been a dream but John L was really gone forever.

The essay chokes me up everytime I read it. Alice stands for the girl he had loved, but she had not reciprocated. His ladylove had married Bartrum. He was left only with wishes and unfulfilled dreams now. John, his brother had passed away, adding to his sorrows. The only person left with him was his sister who was mentally unstable. This essay was written from the heart. There is no mask, the words come directly from within the essayist and reach out to the readers. Lamb is melancholic but what wins us to his side is that he is not for once self-pitying. The inter-play of sorrow and humour lend charm to the essayist. We feel the warmth of the man even after so many years, through his words.